Taking place daily from 24 May to 5 June 2016 at the Drama Centre, you will be spoilt for choices from the good selection of well-crafted programmes that are offered.
Performances
For ages 2 to 6
For ages 3 to 8
For ages 4 and above
For ages 7 to 12
Conviviality Sessions
Drama Centre
25 May to 5 June 2016
From $30 per parent-and-child
Sharing-and-learning sessions by the many visiting artists and practitioners who will share expertise from their chosen art-form to conduct workshops on creative parenting, empowerment through artistic engagement, and how to value add to your child's development through the creative process.
There will be eight workshops for parent-and-child groups.
Sweet: a 2-hour Sensory & Experiential Workshop
ION Art Gallery, ION Orchard
28 May to 5 June 2016, 10.30am to 12.30pm OR 3.30pm-5.30pm
For 4 to 8 year old
Held in conjunction with ACT 3i Festival for Children, Sweet is an interactive drop-off workshop comprising an art exhibition, art-making activities as well as drama workshop and art making activities. The programme is a brilliant learning process for the child as it ignites the imagination, inspires a multi-sensory creative process, as well as encourages artistic expression and participation. Inspired by Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweet will feature elements of storytelling, improvisation and even gelato-making. While the session is about using desserts to inspire art-making and to teach the values of kindness, it also highlights the importance of eating in moderation.
See http://act3international.com.sg/act3ifestival/ for information on all ACT 3i Festival for Children shows and activities.
About ACT 3i Festival for Children
Dates: 24 May to 5 June 2016
Venue: Drama Centre, 100 Victoria Street, National Library Building (Theatre, Black Box and Visitors Centre)
For more information: (65) 6735 9986 or www.act3international.com.sg
Tickets are already on sale:
By the internet: www.sistic.com.sg (credit card payment only)
By phone: SISTIC Hotline 6348 5555 (credit card payment only)
In person: at authorised SISTIC agents
At the door: available at the venue an hour before show time at full price (cash payment only)
DISCOUNTS applicable for all shows from 1 April 2016 onwards:
- 15% current ACT 3 Drama Academy students
- 15% for a minimum of 12 tickets in the same transaction to the same show and time
- 10% OCBC Child Development Account (CDA) holders and Mighty Savers members
- 10% when 2 shows are booked
- 15% when 3 or more shows are booked
*** SPECIAL GIVEAWAY! (7 May - 14 May 2016) ***
I have 2 tickets to Snow White by DuffleBag production to give to one lucky reader! Expect an hour of humour and surprises with a dramatic twist when the Snow White fairy tale meets Shakespearean classics. You can even join in the action and feel the excitement of living a fairy tale.
Date of show: 28 May 2016, Saturday
Time of show: 2 pm
Duration: 1 hour without interval
Venue: Drama Centre Theatre
Best for: 4 to 8 year old
Do share this with your friends to benefit their children! This giveaway will end on 14 May, Saturday at 23:59. Results of the random draw will be announced here.
Giveaway Terms and Conditions
- This giveaway is for 2 tickets to Snow White theatre performance on 28 May 2016 at 2 pm.
- Tickets are non-transferable, non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
- Ticket collection will be at the box office of Drama Centre, Level 3, 30 minutes before show time.
- The winner will need to produce your IC to claim the tickets.
- The winner will be contacted using the particulars provided when entering the draw, and has 48 hours to respond, failing which a new winner will be drawn.
- All incomplete entries will be disqualified. All entries will be verified before the winner is announced. To be fair to our sponsor, please note that all fake Facebook accounts (e.g. accounts set up purely to take part in contests with no or very few real friends) will also be ineligible to win.
- This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
- Please note that this giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook. By taking part in this giveaway, you agree to provide your information to Simply Lambchops and the sponsor.
[16 May 2016]
CONGRATULATIONS to:
<Ms Lily L.>
for winning 2 tickets to Snow White!
Please email me at <simplylambchops@gmail.com> for details to claim your prize!
To everyone who has participated in
this giveaway, THANK YOU for supporting
Simply Lambchops!
Do continue to visit the blog | Instagram | Facebook Page | for more updates!
Carob.
Have you heard of this health food?
Carob is often promoted as a chocolate substitute, but I'll tell you why that is so wrong.
Carob is the fruit of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), a leguminous plant, and grows as long, slightly curved, thick, dark brown pods that are from 10-25 cm long. This plant is native to the Mediterranean regions. Historically, the carob tree has been around for a very long time with one of the early records of its use dating back to ancient Egyptian times.
The pods are rarely eaten raw, but the seeds are roasted and ground into powder and other products such as syrup, bars and chips. The pods are broken into pieces and ground to make the raw carob powder or roasted to make the roasted carob powder. Other products such as carob syrup, bars and chips are also derived from the powders. Carob has been very popular in USA and Australia as a substitute for chocolate in baking and beverages.
Carob, however, does not taste like chocolate, much to my dismay when I first tasted it. The only thing that carob and cocoa have in common is that both are brown. So if you are a chocolate lover, you might probably think that carob is junk. That is also why I don't agree that it should be promoted as an alternative to chocolate. It's a health food, with a unique taste of its own. Period.
But carob's taste is not unpleasant at all. It just has a different taste from cocoa - slightly "earthy" with a natural caramel-ish sweet taste. On its own, the taste needs some getting used to, just as with many health foods, but adding the powder in drinks or cakes gives additional goodness in taste and nutrition. So do manage your expectations if you are interested in trying this health food.
Nutrition
Carob is rich in a number of vitamins and minerals but is more known to be particularly high in calcium. It is a source of protein and contains a substantial amount of dietary fibre. A 100g of carob powder contains less than 0.5g of fat, it's virtually fat-free! Carob contains some antioxidants, mostly in the form of polyphenols which help to prevent health dangers such as cancer, high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. It has alkalizing effects on the body pH, is gluten-free, theobromine-free (so you can even feed your cats and dogs with carob!) and caffeine-free. In some cultures, carob is considered to be an aphrodisiac. Interesting food, isn't it?
There are many ways to use carob powder and syrup. Check out Forever Young Enterprise for more carob recipes and suggestions. They have a Carob Teriyaki Chicken recipe which looks really good and I wanna try that soon!
[update on 2 May 2016]
Healthy Carob Cookies
These healthy carob cookies are friendly on your hips and very easy to prepare. It can be given as a snack to your hungry kids at any time of the day, or as dessert after a meal.
Since baking is such an educational and sensorial experience, I got all the 3 kids to help. Children learn to be precise through measuring and weighing the ingredients and work as a team to complete a difficult task like holding the hand-blender down. Scooping the mixture and rolling into balls also improve their fine motor skills.
Healthy Carob Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
1. Preheat oven at 170ºC.
2. Cream butter, sugar and Carob syrup until pale, put the butter mixture aside.
3. Sift flour and Carob powder, add salt and mix well. Add 1/3 of flour at a time to butter mixture until well combined. *If you are using dried fruit and nuts, they can be added in when the mixture is well-combined.
4. Roll into small balls and place balls on a baking tray.
5. Bake at 170ºC for 5 minutes, then turn down to 150ºC and bake for a further 10 minutes until firm (not hard).
6. Transfer to cooling rack.
Notes
Note that every oven is different - I had to increase the baking time to a total of 20 minutes to get a firm texture.
The Australian Carob Co.
Forever Young Enterprise is the distributor of the range of high-quality certified organic carob products from The Australian Carob Co. The carob products are produced using state-of-the-art machinery to retain the high nutritional value. Non-GMO, nut-free and allergy-free, their products have no additives, colours, preservatives or added sweeteners. They are also halal-certified.
For a healthier living, get your Australian Organic Carob products from Forever Young Enterprise office or at Qoo10.
Have you heard of this health food?
Carob is often promoted as a chocolate substitute, but I'll tell you why that is so wrong.
Carob is the fruit of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), a leguminous plant, and grows as long, slightly curved, thick, dark brown pods that are from 10-25 cm long. This plant is native to the Mediterranean regions. Historically, the carob tree has been around for a very long time with one of the early records of its use dating back to ancient Egyptian times.
 |
| Photo credit |
But carob's taste is not unpleasant at all. It just has a different taste from cocoa - slightly "earthy" with a natural caramel-ish sweet taste. On its own, the taste needs some getting used to, just as with many health foods, but adding the powder in drinks or cakes gives additional goodness in taste and nutrition. So do manage your expectations if you are interested in trying this health food.
Nutrition
Carob is rich in a number of vitamins and minerals but is more known to be particularly high in calcium. It is a source of protein and contains a substantial amount of dietary fibre. A 100g of carob powder contains less than 0.5g of fat, it's virtually fat-free! Carob contains some antioxidants, mostly in the form of polyphenols which help to prevent health dangers such as cancer, high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. It has alkalizing effects on the body pH, is gluten-free, theobromine-free (so you can even feed your cats and dogs with carob!) and caffeine-free. In some cultures, carob is considered to be an aphrodisiac. Interesting food, isn't it?
 |
| Photo credit |
There are many ways to use carob powder and syrup. Check out Forever Young Enterprise for more carob recipes and suggestions. They have a Carob Teriyaki Chicken recipe which looks really good and I wanna try that soon!
[update on 2 May 2016]
A photo posted by Mary (@simplylambchops) on
Healthy Carob Cookies
These healthy carob cookies are friendly on your hips and very easy to prepare. It can be given as a snack to your hungry kids at any time of the day, or as dessert after a meal.
Since baking is such an educational and sensorial experience, I got all the 3 kids to help. Children learn to be precise through measuring and weighing the ingredients and work as a team to complete a difficult task like holding the hand-blender down. Scooping the mixture and rolling into balls also improve their fine motor skills.
 |
| Hmm ... what smell is this? |
 |
| Helping out and learning at the same time |
 |
| Yummy Carob cookies to share with our church friends! |
Healthy Carob Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 30g Raw Carob Powder (could substitute with roasted carob powder for more intense taste)
- 20g Carob Syrup
- 220g unsalted butter (soften)
- 1/4 tsp salt (or 2g)
- 60g caster sugar
- 300g self-raising flour
- dried fruit and nuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven at 170ºC.
2. Cream butter, sugar and Carob syrup until pale, put the butter mixture aside.
3. Sift flour and Carob powder, add salt and mix well. Add 1/3 of flour at a time to butter mixture until well combined. *If you are using dried fruit and nuts, they can be added in when the mixture is well-combined.
4. Roll into small balls and place balls on a baking tray.
5. Bake at 170ºC for 5 minutes, then turn down to 150ºC and bake for a further 10 minutes until firm (not hard).
6. Transfer to cooling rack.
Notes
Note that every oven is different - I had to increase the baking time to a total of 20 minutes to get a firm texture.
The Australian Carob Co.
Forever Young Enterprise is the distributor of the range of high-quality certified organic carob products from The Australian Carob Co. The carob products are produced using state-of-the-art machinery to retain the high nutritional value. Non-GMO, nut-free and allergy-free, their products have no additives, colours, preservatives or added sweeteners. They are also halal-certified.
For a healthier living, get your Australian Organic Carob products from Forever Young Enterprise office or at Qoo10.
Breakfast Buffet at Sandbank East Coast Park (Review & Giveaway)
Family time Thursday, March 24, 2016
Media Invite
If you are looking for a venue to spend a weekend morning with your family and have a relaxing breakfast, this is one good place to visit!
Saturday mornings are very precious to us, as it is the only day of the week where we can sleep in longer. Sometimes we make an effort to wake earlier and have a good breakfast while enjoying some family time.
So when I heard of Sandbank's international breakfast buffet, I had to visit! Situated at East Coast Park, it's a good venue to eat at, chill, and still be able to visit the beach, enjoy the sun, the sea and have some fun after breakfast.
Although you won't expect a large variety of food like what you get at hotel breakfast buffets, the simple fare is enough to satisfy. Sandbank's breakfast buffet is also reasonably priced and doesn't cost us an arm or leg to have the whole family dining there. And just for your info, each sitting is a 2-hour session.
Here's why you will like Sandbank's breakfast buffet:
1. You can have breakfast ... as lunch!
Because Sandbank's breakfast buffet is served from 8:30 am to 12 noon, you can sleep in longer, yet still be able to make it for scrambled eggs and bacon close to noon.
2. Eggs, eggs and more eggs
I was pleasantly surprised to see an egg station. An egg station that not only serves the usual types of eggs, they do Eggs Benedict too!
Being an egg lover, L went for this station first, and he was happy with his scrambled eggs.
3. Food, glorious food
With the breakfast buffet line consisting of food from a few cuisines, there is definitely something for everyone!
The speed at which the bacon and chicken wings got wiped out says a lot about the "deliciousness" of the items. I managed to get hold of some bacon and wings, and flew to food heaven after the first bite. Curry chicken for the prata and nasi lemak are worth the calories too! Now ... if only their free flow coffee is as good ...
4. Open, airy feel
Ample natural light from the sun makes your food look good and perfect for Instagramming purposes. The place is generally airy and is just a short distance away from the sea.
5. A 15m plunge pool
Somehow, a pool just draws children to it. While the parents get their me-time, the kids get their morning dose of active play at the pool. There are also public toilet facilities next to the pool for changing.
I read some reviews stating that the pool is quite dirty. I didn't find it so, and upon clarification with a staff, I was told that the pool is cleaned every Tuesday and Friday by professional pool cleaners. So if you are still worried, visit Sandbank the day after the pool is cleaned?
6. Bonus for the men!
The Husband was happy to see sporting events being aired on the TV even in the morning.
Besides having a splashing good time in the plunge pool, the kids were also kept entertained by balloon twisting and glitter tattoo by Weekends Pte Ltd !
Information about Sandbank
Address: 920 East Coast Parkway, #01-28/32 Parkland Green, Singapore 449875 (opposite Parkway Parade when looking across from East Coast Park)
Telephone: +65 6247 7988
Opening hours:
Tue/Wed/Thu opens from 4pm - 11pm
Fri/ eve of PH opens from 4pm - 12 midnight
Sat/ PH opens from 8:30am - 12 midnight
Sun opens from 8:30am - 11pm
Plunge pool will be available till 7pm from Tuesday to Sunday
Sandbank Website | Facebook page | Instagram
Sandbank is sponsoring a Breakfast Buffet for a family of 4 just for the Simply Lambchops' readers. Please follow the instructions and join via the Rafflecopter widget.
How to enter the giveaway:
I will be doing a random draw for 1 winner using the Rafflecopter widget.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway will end on Thursday 31 Mar, 2359 hrs. Results of the draw will be announced here.
Giveaway Terms and Conditions
If you are looking for a venue to spend a weekend morning with your family and have a relaxing breakfast, this is one good place to visit!
Saturday mornings are very precious to us, as it is the only day of the week where we can sleep in longer. Sometimes we make an effort to wake earlier and have a good breakfast while enjoying some family time.
So when I heard of Sandbank's international breakfast buffet, I had to visit! Situated at East Coast Park, it's a good venue to eat at, chill, and still be able to visit the beach, enjoy the sun, the sea and have some fun after breakfast.
Although you won't expect a large variety of food like what you get at hotel breakfast buffets, the simple fare is enough to satisfy. Sandbank's breakfast buffet is also reasonably priced and doesn't cost us an arm or leg to have the whole family dining there. And just for your info, each sitting is a 2-hour session.
Here's why you will like Sandbank's breakfast buffet:
1. You can have breakfast ... as lunch!
Because Sandbank's breakfast buffet is served from 8:30 am to 12 noon, you can sleep in longer, yet still be able to make it for scrambled eggs and bacon close to noon.
2. Eggs, eggs and more eggs
I was pleasantly surprised to see an egg station. An egg station that not only serves the usual types of eggs, they do Eggs Benedict too!
Being an egg lover, L went for this station first, and he was happy with his scrambled eggs.
3. Food, glorious food
With the breakfast buffet line consisting of food from a few cuisines, there is definitely something for everyone!
The speed at which the bacon and chicken wings got wiped out says a lot about the "deliciousness" of the items. I managed to get hold of some bacon and wings, and flew to food heaven after the first bite. Curry chicken for the prata and nasi lemak are worth the calories too! Now ... if only their free flow coffee is as good ...
4. Open, airy feel
Ample natural light from the sun makes your food look good and perfect for Instagramming purposes. The place is generally airy and is just a short distance away from the sea.
5. A 15m plunge pool
Somehow, a pool just draws children to it. While the parents get their me-time, the kids get their morning dose of active play at the pool. There are also public toilet facilities next to the pool for changing.
I read some reviews stating that the pool is quite dirty. I didn't find it so, and upon clarification with a staff, I was told that the pool is cleaned every Tuesday and Friday by professional pool cleaners. So if you are still worried, visit Sandbank the day after the pool is cleaned?
 |
| Standing at the end... Longing for a dip |
6. Bonus for the men!
The Husband was happy to see sporting events being aired on the TV even in the morning.
 |
| 'Live' sports schedule |
Besides having a splashing good time in the plunge pool, the kids were also kept entertained by balloon twisting and glitter tattoo by Weekends Pte Ltd !
 |
| The balloonist was invited for the media invite and is not an on-going entertainment every weekend. |
Information about Sandbank
Address: 920 East Coast Parkway, #01-28/32 Parkland Green, Singapore 449875 (opposite Parkway Parade when looking across from East Coast Park)
Telephone: +65 6247 7988
Opening hours:
Tue/Wed/Thu opens from 4pm - 11pm
Fri/ eve of PH opens from 4pm - 12 midnight
Sat/ PH opens from 8:30am - 12 midnight
Sun opens from 8:30am - 11pm
Plunge pool will be available till 7pm from Tuesday to Sunday
Sandbank Website | Facebook page | Instagram
*** SPECIAL GIVEAWAY! (24 - 31 Mar 2016) ***
Sandbank is sponsoring a Breakfast Buffet for a family of 4 just for the Simply Lambchops' readers. Please follow the instructions and join via the Rafflecopter widget.
I will be doing a random draw for 1 winner using the Rafflecopter widget.
In order to qualify for the giveaway, please follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below. The first 2 steps of the instructions are compulsory.
Giveaway Terms and Conditions
This giveaway is a Breakfast Buffet voucher for 4 people. Every sitting is for 2 hours only.The voucher can be used during weekends and public holidays.The voucher is valid for one month from the date of issue and is not exchangeable for cash.The winner will be contacted using the particulars provided when entering the draw, and has 48 hours to respond, failing which a new winner will be drawn.All incomplete entries will be disqualified. All entries will be verified before the winners are announced. To be fair to our sponsors, please note that all fake Facebook accounts (e.g. accounts set up purely to take part in contests with no or very few real friends) will also be ineligible to win.This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
[4 April 2016]
CONGRATULATIONS to:
<Ms Cheng Ling T.>
for winning the Buffet Breakfast for 4 by Sandbank!
I will be getting in touch with you soon!
Please check your email for details to claim your prize!
Please check your email for details to claim your prize!
To everyone who has participated in
this giveaway, THANK YOU for supporting
Simply Lambchops!
Do continue to visit the blog and Instagram for more updates!
Very often, when we feel that we are unable to control the situations or life challenges that we are facing, we shrug our shoulders with a sigh, and say "no choice" or "I don't have a choice.".
I hear this phrase very often, and it's like THE phrase we go to, to express our inadequacy at managing that situation. I hear it among teens who feel that they should be given more freedom from parents. I hear it often among the special needs community, especially when the child is newly diagnosed. When the parent tells me that she has "no choice" since the child is like that, I usually remind that one has a choice in almost all situations. One can definitely choose to walk away from that life, or brave the challenges with the child.
To be honest, I used this phrase many times previously too, and it felt good that I could perhaps "blame" someone or something for the situation that I couldn't handle. Perhaps I was trying to blame God unconsciously so that I can be made a victim of my circumstances, and do not have to be answerable for my own actions.
A friend recently wrote about this. His reflections aptly summed up my thoughts about this phrase "no choice" and I got his permission to repost it here.
I hear this phrase very often, and it's like THE phrase we go to, to express our inadequacy at managing that situation. I hear it among teens who feel that they should be given more freedom from parents. I hear it often among the special needs community, especially when the child is newly diagnosed. When the parent tells me that she has "no choice" since the child is like that, I usually remind that one has a choice in almost all situations. One can definitely choose to walk away from that life, or brave the challenges with the child.
To be honest, I used this phrase many times previously too, and it felt good that I could perhaps "blame" someone or something for the situation that I couldn't handle. Perhaps I was trying to blame God unconsciously so that I can be made a victim of my circumstances, and do not have to be answerable for my own actions.
A friend recently wrote about this. His reflections aptly summed up my thoughts about this phrase "no choice" and I got his permission to repost it here.
A Father's Diary (38) - No choice is a choice
That's one of the best Math lesson I had! No choice is a choice! Then my lecturer followed with the classic example," if your dad refuses to let you go for movie and you have to stay at home. That is a choice!" The whole lecture theatre objected the notion. We argued and by the second line, we knew we lost the argument.
Yes! No choice is a choice! And I taught that and choose zero is one.
We make choices everyday. Some choices are just by routine, almost mechanical. Ask some men what to eat for lunch and some will end up eating Hainanese Chicken Rice (easily 40-50% of the time).
Some choices are reversible but some are irrevocable. The choices all come with consequences. The choice of a bad outfit can be corrected the next day. But the bad impression due to the poor outfit (aka bad taste) is not so easy to to change.
The concern raised on the cross island line is one that we have to think very carefully. It is more than changing the outfit, more than choosing eating chicken rice or Mee Pok ta, hiam jio chor zui zui (aka dried fishball noodle with extra portion of chilli sauce and vinegar). A wrong move will lead to many downstream impact and sometime it's beyond our calculated risk and cost. Can we put up with the inconvenience? I think we should be able to.
In our family, we also have to make choices too. Some choices are good and lead to building a strong family culture. However, some bad choices are bad as they derived out of selfish desires. Then you can see some quibbling and squabbles. The consequences that birthed out of the bad choices maybe irreversible and the downstream impact may be worst than the cross island line.
In handling my children, we practice delayed gratification when buying toys. The result is that we can test their desire and see if it is just fickle wish or is it a deep sense of interest to buy a certain toy. Delay getting angry may help because that will give us a clear mind to think of another solution.
So for the cross island line, it's not a small matter. It's more than a child's toy! Since we all live in this island, and this is our home, then we need to make very very careful choice. The choice to delay the cross island may land a hefty cost that takes two decades or even a quarter century to recoup. But a irreversible choice means a point of no return, just like a broken mirror.
Now back to making choices at home. To continue to let the poor relationship develop at home or to allow bad habits to form without making a decision to change is not a no choice situation. Instead, it's making a choice. If you are hoping the change to take place but don't do anything then the change you hope for will not come. Einstein called this insanity if you are hoping for change.
Why do I toggle between the national issue and family issue. The magnitude of impact may not be the same but it is still going to hurt someone.
Borrowing a thought from my wife: Let the desire of change spur the determination to change, and delight of seeing the change is not far from the corner.
No choice is a choice but at times you can change the choice.
- Francis Lee
We are always empowered to make a choice, and by knowing that, we can snap out of the victim mentality and start taking responsibility for choices made in those difficult circumstances.
So, the next time you are tempted to say 'no choice...', think again. Is it really a 'no choice' situation?
